US Air Force airmen at Paya Lebar Air Base, Singapore, are engaged in air-to-air combat training with and against the F-5s and F-16s of the Singapore Air Force, in an exercise known as Commando Sling. For the 18th Fighter Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, practicing air-to-air maneuvers in a hot, humid environment and over bodies of water is a new experience, which their commander, Lt. Col. Dieter Bareihs, says is good training. Learning the different combat scenarios through this exercise is supposed to strengthen the alliance and enhance the safety of the Pacific Region.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…


